Wofford College - Study Abroad

The ABC's of Predeparture...

A is for “anxiety”- As in, I have never been more anxious about something in my life! Of course, I suppose this is natural. But seriously, I think I might develop an ulcer before I even leave the country. And let’s be honest…that’s probably not such a good idea. Tuesday the 29^th can’t get here soon enough!

B is for “baggage”- As in, how on earth am I going to fit four months of clothes, including a seasonal change, into one suitcase less than 50 pounds?? I’m not really sure yet how this is going to work out, but one can only hope that it will all come together in the end. I’ll keep you posted.

C is for "Cochabamba”- As in Cochabamba, Bolivia…the place that I will be calling home for the next semester. As nervous/anxious as I am about leaving the familiar Columbia, SC for the not so familiar Cochabamba, Bolivia, I can honestly say that excitement is winning over!

All in all, I can’t wait for what I am about to experience. The ups, the downs, the ins, the outs, and everything in between with this new culture is something I can’t wait to start learning. Only a few more days!

Hasta pronto-
Kristen

Velkommen

The first evening I was here in Copenhagen I was jet lagged, recovering from a bad cold and ear/sinus infection, very alone and without computer access because of poor planning with the adapter, sore from lugging my luggage around, worried that I would never be able to find food after a disappointing trip to a grocery store, etc etc. But I could also tell that I was really going to like this city(…or maybe that was the next morning). Either way, I was right, and things have been going much better!

I’m here in Copenhagen studying child development psychology through the DIS program, which includes both hands on work at a volunteer site and a field study trip once a week. I am very excited to start! Tomorrow we find out more details about where we’re going to be placed. In addition to the psychology classes, I’m also taking Nordic Mythology, Copenhagen History and Contemporary Issues, and a Danish class, although I may drop one of these classes and pick up a class about Russia so I can participate in a study tour there.

Anyway, a lot has happened since I’ve gotten here; it feels much longer than four days. I’ve met a handful of Danish people, including a group of students in my kollegium (which is like a private dorm), and one thing that has really struck me is the difference in people’s attitudes about life here. For one thing, this country is pretty socialist; taxes are very high and the wealth is equitably distributed. But what is surprising to me is how people think about this. People here aren’t motivated to do what will make them the most money and bring them the most career success (probably b/c everyone ends up making a similar amount anyway), but they just want to find a job they like that will make them enough money to raise a family reasonably comfortably. They are satisfied with being happy rather than always seeking to achieve more, and that’s probably a healthy mindset. They also really don’t mind that their money is taken in taxes and used to help people with less money; they think about it as the duty of the strong to support the weak. Generally people in the United States feel like the money they earn is theirs unless they are extremely wealthy, which I think is a fair mindset too, but that could be because I am from the US. And they are very liberal in general in their ideas, although I’m sure I’ve met a biased sample dealing with students and people who work for a university. But either way, they are a lot more open about topics that are taboo in the US.

I realize that I haven’t taken any pictures since I’ve been here (not surprisingly b/c I’m really bad about that), but just now I took a few of my room so people can see how Danish students live (this is a pretty standard Danish dorm).

This is the view from the door coming in (I definitely didn't pick out the curtains)

.Looking to the left, here is the kitchenette. To the right is a door to the bathroom.

This is the view from the other side of the room (from the window)...not much to see really.

I have been glad to be living in a kollegium because it's provided a good support system with the other DIS students living here as we've figured out what's going on and how to get around here. Hopefully I'll be able to meet more Danish students here, although I've met a few. There are definitely pros and cons to all the living options here though. I would like to be with a family because they look out for the students...and also it would be nice not to have to cook every day.

From Cowboys to Castles

Bonjour everyone!

ok, if you want to read this e-mail 'French style', go pick up a jar of nutella and toast a piece of bread, put on a scarf and read away and enjoy, I hope!

My blog is named 'From Cowboys to Castles'  becuase I flew from Nashville, TN, home of country music, to Dallas, TX(you get the picture), and on to Paris!  The castles come a bit later on ...

So I've been here almost two weeks and my life is now coming into the slower pace I like it at. I started classes today, and I am thankful.  I'm taking french 19th and 20th cent art, French romanticism (the literary kind), France and the US in the middle east since 1945, language grammar and composition, and translation. Its all in french and, though I like learning french, it can be exhausting.  My classes meet twice or once a week, except my grammar class that is 3 times a week.  I'm glad to have a schedule for the days, to have places to go, and a rhythm to my life. 

This past week and a half, I've had lots of orientation.  we had an orientation in Tours, France and placement tests. We got the chance to visit 4 magnificent chateaux: Amboise, Chenonceau , Cheverny , and Chambord. Then we had a week of orientation back in Nantes along with conversation and grammar classes.  I got to explore a lot on my own on Saturday. It is really fun to start walking from my house and end up somewhere I know because the city is becoming more familiar to me.  When I go to school, or don't feel like walking a whole lot because of the rain or something, I take Tram Line 1 from Mouttonerie to Mediatheque or Commerce.  The whole public transportation is really useful, but sometimes I just want to drive something haha. 

No, don't misunderstand me, I am so thankful for being here, but it is hard not to miss what is comfortable.

My host family "ma famille d'accueill" is wonderful.  They talk extremely fast so a lot of times I'm completely lost until they repeat it without the french mumble :)  They are Dominique and Francoise, who have 6 children, 5 who are a home!  Yves (boy), 21, is the oldest but he lives in Toulouse.  Bruno (boy) is the next and he is either 19 or 20, I can't remember. Then Madeleine and Clemence (both girls) are 17, Then Bertrand (boy) how is 15, and finally Priscille who is 9.  I have a room on the third floor of a skinny french house and share a bathroom with the twins.  my bed is so comfortable ha ha! I have no clothes. well I do, but I thought I'd be real smart and pack in just one bag that had to be less than 50 pounds. Well I did it! At 49 pounds!  However, when I unpacked I realized that all added up, I had like 10 things to wear for 4.5 months haha. No-- I'm being dramatic, but its funny. 

My host mom is a great cook, and contrary to popular belief, the French eat a ton! Just not in between meals.  Seriously, I am stuffed after dinner and dessert. 

At home, I don't have wireless internet. They have a home computer which I am free to use, but it is a European keyboard so the a and q are switched, so are the w and z, the period needs a shift and so do all the numbers. therefore when I use it all my sentences end with a semi colon haha. So I don't use it a whole lot.  I have a lot of time to read and journal which is good for my heart.

Well there is update number 1 for now! I hope you enjoyed it!

A bientot from Nantes!

Julia Suddath

Not in Mexico...yet

Hola a todos,

I arrived in Viña del Mar, Chile on January the second to take an intensive Spanish course at a local university.  Three new friends, also Wofford students, met up with me in the airport in Santiago.  We were picked up by former lady terriers basketball all-star Meredith Denton (class of '99).

The first few days have been challenging, but also exciting.  Chilean Spanish is quite a (difficult) surprise from what I had been expecting, but I am working hard to adjust my ears.  I am staying with a Chilean family in an apartment about 20 minutes from the university.  The mother is a stay at home mom that enjoys volunteering at the hospital.  Her daughter is a 22 year old med student at a university close by, who is currently cramming for her semester final this coming Friday.  I got up last night to get a glass of water and she was still at the kitchen table studying...pobrecita.

In five days I have been to Valparaiso twice and through Viña several times to orient myself.  The two cities are so close I would have difficulty telling where one stops and the other begins were it not for their distinctive architecture.

Attached are some pictures of myself and fellow Wofford students Kristen Demosthenes, Catherine Raymer, Philip Long, and Wofford grad Meredith Denton.

Hasta pronto.